Counseling costs for Newtown first responders, teachers and families covered by fund

Ed Stannard

Published 12:00 am, Monday, January 21, 2013

The families, first responders and educators who need professional counseling won't have to pay for it themselves, through a program of the Newtown Lions Club and the Connecticut Counseling Association.

The mission of the program is "that no one has to pay anything out of pocket; people have suffered enough," said Bob Schmidt, a Newtown Lion and a licensed professional counselor, who is coordinating the program. He said he hopes it also will encourage people to seek out counseling.

The fund, built primarily through private donations, totals $30,000 but is expected to grow, Schmidt said. It's administered by the Newtown Lions Club Foundation, a 501(c)3 charity.

The program will cover all first responders, families of victims and teachers and staff of Sandy Hook Elementary School, where 20 children and six staff members were killed by Adam Lanza, who first shot his mother to death. He killed himself as police arrived.

While most of those eligible live in Newtown, not all do. Deborah Del Vecchio-Scully, executive director of CCA, pointed out state troopers who responded "reside all over the state." The CCA is based in Hamden.

She said the damage to people's mental health won't be short-term, either. "I think we're just at the beginning of understanding what the impact is going to be beyond the immediate impact," she said, adding that someone just started counseling with her about the effects of 9/11.

CCA has compiled a list of counselors and either Schmidt or Del Vecchio-Scully will offer referrals, but people may see any licensed mental health professional, including social workers, psychologists, marriage and family counselors or psychiatrists.

No one should deny themselves therapy after such an ordeal, Del Vecchio-Scully said. "There are therapists who are trained and are ready to accept clients."

Schmidt said the Lions are prepared to pay for counseling even for those who have no insurance. Both organizations have spread the word through their regional and national affiliates.